Art. XLIII.—Phænogams: A Description of some Newly-discovered Indigenous Plants; being a Further Contribution towards the making known the Botany of New Zealand.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 25, 1892, Page 324

Art. XLIII.—Phænogams: A Description of some Newly-discovered Indigenous Plants; being a Further Contribution towards the making known the Botany of New Zealand. By William Colenso, F.R.S., F.L.S. (Lond.), &c. [Read before the Hawke's Bay Philosophical Institute, 28th November, 1892.] Class I. Dicotyledons. Order I. Ranunculaceæ. Genus 3.* The numbers of the orders and genera given here are those of them in the “Handbook of the New Zealand Flora.” Ranunculus, Linn. 1. R. sychnopetala, sp. nov. Plant large, tufted; radical leaf suborbicular, 3in. long, 3⅓in. wide, apex slightly produced rounded and subtrilobed, base truncate and in a small degree turned up over lamina close to petiole, thickish, soft, upper surface green slightly hairy, the under-surface paler and more hairy; hairs weak

wavy reddish, thicker longer and subciliate at margins; 9–10-veined; veins pale, sunk in the upper surface, slightly conspicuous beneath; veinlets closely anastomosing, forming long narrow angular areoles; margins coarsely and irregularly crenate-serrate; petiole 1¾in. long, 2 lines wide, stoutish, brown, hairy; hairs long appressed strigillose reddish; stipules at base small narrow. Flowering-stems 9in. high, solid, stout below nearly ¼in. diameter, two springing together from a single basal leaf; leaf subovate acuminate, stout, lamina 3½in. long 1¼in. wide many-nerved (9); veinlets anastomosing; tip very obtuse; lateral margins coarsely serrate with 6–7 broad teeth, gradually tapering to base; petiole 1in. long, very broad flattish and thick, nerves continued down petiole; small stipules at base; each flower-stem trichotomous 4in. from base, surrounded by a pair of bract-like sessile oblong leaves 1½in. long; pedicels 1-flowered, stout, sub 6in. long, with (in one specimen) a whorl of three leafy bracts about the middle, subovate sessile, irregular in size and in cutting, the largest having a pair of large lateral teeth almost trifid, the others entire, hairy, margins ciliate; hairs wavy reddish; and in the other specimen with a single trifid bract. Flowers: Calyx pale greenish-yellow; sepals 5, linear obovate, ½in. long, sub 2 lines wide, tip obtuse, concave, distant, hairy, margins ciliate, much veined; vein single at base, 5-branched at middle and united at top. Corolla pale-yellow glistening, 1in. diameter; petals numerous (40–45) in 3 rows, recurved, cuneate, 8 lines long 2½ lines wide, much veined, more so than sepal; tip rounded very obtuse entire; base tapering, claw long; gland small orbicular, about 1 line above base. Anthers numerous, stout, before bursting broadly elliptic, afterwards elongated and much narrower, deeply channelled on back, very glossy, same colour as petals; stamens broad flattish as wide as anthers, 2-nerved. Carpels 0, but instead a few small greenish petaloid leaves, much incurved and forming a small green ball. Hab. Ruahine Mountain-range, east side, near summits of lateral spurs; 1891: Mr. A. Olsen, Norsewood. Obs. Of this fine and very peculiar plant I have only received two flowering specimens, both, however, in good condition. At first I thought it to be a “monster” flower of R. insignis, Hook., or of R. ruahinicus, Col.; but after a very close and patient examination and comparison I find it to be distinct, though, from its not possessing any carpels, but numerous small petals in their place, it may prove to be a “monster” (or double) flower. 2. R. longipetiolatus, sp. nov. Plant erect, glabrous, stolons few, short. Roots numerous long wiry very slender; sometimes rooting at lower nodes of

flowering-stem. Leaves few, single, on tops of long petioles, spreading, in circumscription subreniform and narrow hemispherical, 1½in.–2in. long, 2½in.–3in. broad, trifoliolate, each lobe largely petiolulate subflabelliform and broadly cuneate, trilobulate, sinuses deep obtuse and very wide, lateral margins always entire, lobules trifid (and variously lacimate), generally with 1 large central and 2 small teeth their tips obtuse; petiolules slender sometimes 1in. long, veined; lamina thin largely veined, with numerous compound anastomosing veinlets and venules; petioles fistular, 7in.–10in. long, stout when fresh, with a long narrow stipule at base. Flowers few small, single on long erect peduncles, some directly from the rootstock 9in. long, others (and generally 1–3) distant on flowering-stem, axillary from a single cauline leaf and twice the length of its long petiole—sometimes 4in. long, occasionally 2 flowers springing together axillary on separate pedicels. Sepals 5, much shorter than petals, concave, inflated, tawny, glabrescent, 2½ lines long, broadly-ovate or oblong-rounded, tips very obtuse, 3-nerved, nerves flexuous, margin very membranous, white, pellucid. Petals 6, flat, narrow linear-spathulate, 4½ lines long, sub 1 line wide, tips obtuse and emarginate, tapering to base, pale-yellow glabrous, 5-nerved; nerves straight branching above not extending to tip; gland near base small, reaching across petal, hollow, depressed. Stamens short, sub 24; anthers elliptic slightly subapiculate. Achenia orbicular, turgid, sub 1 line diameter, slightly rugulose-muricatulate; styles same length, curved, slightly puberulous; stigma capitate, subpenicillate. Receptacle small elongated oblong subclavate, coarsely hairy at base. Hab. In watercourses, forests near South Norsewood, County of Waipawa; 1882: W. C. Obs. This species is certainly near to R. macropus, Hook., but on a close examination and comparison there will be found several grave differential characters. Indeed, it was owing to my having supposed it to be that species, or a variety of it, that I have so long delayed describing it; and to this opinion I was in great measure led through merely reading the specific description of that species as given in the Handbook. Besides, I had intended to revisit Norsewood and to obtain more and fresh specimens—which also caused me to put it off—which I have never since done. Now, however, on referring to the full and particular specific description of R. macropus (the type specimens found by me at Poverty Bay in 1839), as originally given by Sir Joseph Hooker in the “Icones Plantarum,” accompanied by a drawing and dissections (vol. vii., tab. DCXXXIV.), the differences are plain and great, and clearly shown in the drawing. That species has much larger sepals than petals, which peculiar character also caused Sir Joseph

Hooker there to observe, “A very remarkable plant … from the smallness of its petals as compared with the sepals.” Besides this there are several other differential characters in its leaves, flowers, and fruit. Order VI. Caryophylleæ. Genus Cerastium,* This genus is not inserted in the “Handbook of the New Zealand Flora,” although those others very near it are—Stellaria, Spergularia, &c. Linn. 1. C. truncatulum, sp. nov. Plant annual, small, erect, 1in.–2in. high, simple, some-times slightly branched, very hairy; hairs patent not viscid. leaves, radical subrosulate linear-spathulate, smaller than those on stem; stem-leaves linear-oblong obtuse, 3–5 lines long, sessile, dark-green, margins purple, ciliate; hairs jointed, white. Flowers 2–4, axillary near top, and 1 terminal, rather large for plant, open, 2 springing on long pedicels from one of pair of opposite leaves, pedicel ½in. long, slender, bibracteate at middle. Calyx shorter than petals, 2½ lines long, lobes subacute, green, purple-tipped, with large white membranous margins. Petals longer than calyx, bifid half-way down, lobes acute; styles 5, long, hairy; capsule twice as long as calyx, stout, slightly curved, shining with 10 teeth; teeth short, very broad, tips truncate and notched. Seeds numerous, orbicular, muricated, ochraceous. Hab. Open grassy plains south of Dannevirke, County of Waipawa; 1887–91: W. C. Obs. I have long known this little plant, and have often slightly noticed it, supposing it to be an introduced British species (two or three of them being now common here, imported among grass- and clover-seeds), but during this spring (1891) I was led from its humble beauty to gather and closely examine it, and believe it to be a new and undescribed species, the teeth of its capsule being so very different from those of all other species known to me, and so affording a good differential character. The plant has some general resemblance to C. semidecandrum; it is an early spring flower. Order XVIII. Rhamneæ. Genus 1. Pomaderris, Labill. 1. P. mollis, sp. nov. Shrub 9ft. high, upright handsome growth, branched from base; branchlets densely stellate pubescent, also petioles under-surface of leaves flowering-stems and calyx on outside. Leaves alternate distant softish, usually 1in.–2in. apart, ovate,

3in.–4¼in. long, 1¾in.–2⅛in. wide, tip obtuse, base rounded; also, often irregular in size and shape, some being much smaller, 1in.–1½in. long, elliptic, tip much rounded, on same branchlet with the large ones and generally below them; margins denticulate sub-crenate-serrate, dark-green, deeply rugulose, glabrous and shining above with sunken nerves, pale dull-green and stellate-hairy below, the hairs white and regularly scattered (not crowded) on lamina, but reddish and densely close on midrib and veins; veins few, regular, much produced, diagonal, parallel 4 lines apart, their tips branched on the posterior side; petioles stout, soft, ¾in. long, terete, slightly sulcate on the upper surface, closely hairy. Flowers in large loose compound terminal (and subterminal) panicles, 5in.–6in. long, 7in.–8in. broad at base, subpanicles 4in.–5in. long, with a small leaf at base, their branches loose distant slender spreading. Flowers close, soft, subfascicled 3–6 together; pedicels about 1 line long; calyx pale-green, 1½ lines diameter, 5-parted, sepals ovate recurved, keeled above, densely stellate-hairy on outside, tube very short; petals 0; anthers subobovoid, obtuse, orange-coloured, filaments flattish erect a little longer than style; style stout furrowed, top 3-cleft one-third of its length; stigmas large, capitate, rough. Ovary hairy, with scattered adpressed stellate hairs and also other hairs simple erect acute as long as style. Capsule rounded, the exserted part as long as the adnate tube, dark-brown. Cocci whitish-brown, elliptic subapiculate, submembranous, convex keeled on inner face and opening by a basal slit extending half-way up, minutely puberulous. Hab. Dry hills near Puketapu, west of Napier, Hawke's Bay; rare; 1890–92; flowering 10th November: W. C. Obs. This shrub is certainly very near to P. tainui, Hector,* See Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xi., p. 428. Sir James Hector says, “flowering 5th December,” “capsule not seen.” His specific description of the plant is consequently imperfect, but his account of its discovery, &c., is interesting and worthy of perusal. differing, however, in size of plant, form, &c., of leaf, and wanting its gland to anthers, &c.; and as I have already noticed and described† See Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xviii., p. 258: P. amœna, Col., and P. phylicifolia, Lodd. how closely two (at least) of our northern species of this genus approach each other until they are fully examined, just so it may be with these two plants. At all events, if this plant should prove to be identical with that species, then another legendary Maori support and witness (!) of their wild, mythical canoe-arrival on these shores will again have to be abandoned—with regret, not only by themselves, but also by their European supporters.

Order XXII. Leguminosæ. Genus 1. Carmichælia, Br. 1. C. multicaule, sp. nov. Shrub about 10ft. high erect, many stems close together from one rootstock, the thicker ones being about 3in. diameter and very irregularly grooved and corrugated, bark smooth; stems below for 3ft.–4ft. from ground bare of branches; above the branches are very numerous suberect and dependent; the smaller branches long slender terete sub 1 line diameter, slightly geniculate; branchlets very numerous, alternate about 1in. apart, the ultimate ones simple straight 7in.–10in. long, very narrow 1/20;in. broad, dark-green, striate, with small scarious marginal bracts ½in.–¾in. apart. Leaves 0. Flowers not numerous, on some large branches none, alternate in small panicles containing 7–11 flowers ½in.–1in. apart; peduncle with 1 deltoid brown bract at base slightly cut; pedicels 1–2 lines long, slender, much pilose, margins densely ciliate, hairs pure-white, striking, with many small scattered brown bracteoles. Calyx rather large, free, inflated, green, glabrous, submembranous, margins toothed; teeth black very prominent. Corolla small open variegated; standard oblate-orbicular 2 lines broad, largely retuse, much recurved, dark blue-purple with white margin, veined; wings linear-oblong thin white, longer than keel, their tips broad rounded, reddish; keel subreniform 1½ lines long, whitish, tip rounded pale-reddish. Filaments very slender capillary, pellucid membranous, flexuous; anthers small, elliptic, fawn-coloured; style very long, curved, persistent; stigma rather large, capitate, thickly puberulous. Pod narrow-oblong 4 lines long including long stout beak, glabrous, dark-green young; beak very stout subulate, 1–1¼ lines long, sublanceolate contracted at apex of pod. Hab. Open grassy flats in gullies south of Dannevirke, County of Waipawa; 1889–92: W. C. Obs. This shrub is peculiar from its habit and manner of growth; its main stems are curious objects, being so close together and numerously and largely furrowed with their bark unbroken. I have long known the plant, and have often visited them seeking flowers or fruit, but have always been disappointed until this year, 1892, when, in November, I was gladdened on seeing many healthy young flowering buds showing themselves; fortunately I secured some specimens, though very young, and when I visited again before Christmas (almost purposely) I found but very few flowers and immature pods, and these only on one of the many branches. Of all the others I had seen the month before, there was now no trace. It is evidently allied to C. corymbosa, Col. (Trans. N.Z. Inst.,

vol. xxi., p. 80), but differs in several characters. Sheep rest under its shade, and cattle browse on its young drooping branches, often without biting them off, owing to their toughness, leaving an unsightly chewed mass of dead hanging fibres; just as they do with chewed Phormium leaves, and the young flowering-culms of Arundo conspicua. Order XXXIX. Compositæ. Genus 1. Olearia, Mænch. 1. O. fasciculifolia, sp. nov. A low bushy shrub, 4ft.–5ft. high. My single specimen, top of a branch 6in. long, contains many close subdecussate branchlets, from 5in. to 1in. in length, the longer ones being again branched. Branchlets erect and suberect, slender, straight, opposite, semi-whorled, angled; bark reddish-brown, striate, with more or less of orange-coloured dry waxy exudation, which is also scattered on leaves and more largely on involucre. Leaves few, distant, fascicled in 3 and 4, opposite, erect and patent, linear-oblong or sub-linear-spathulate, 1½–2 (rarely 3) lines long, less than 1 line wide, thickish, tip rounded, base tapering, margins entire narrowly revolute and appressed, dark-green glabrous above, greyish-white below with closely-appressed hairs; lower half of midrib prominent below; petiole short, stout. Heads single, scattered, axillary on lower half of branchlets, sometimes 2 together subfascicled, campanulate, 2 lines diameter; pedicels short, sub 1 line, stout. Involucral scales many, imbricate in 6–7 rows, orange-coloured with blackish dark-green central stripe, the lowermost small, obtuse; middle much larger, ovate, acute; innermost row very narrow acuminate, 2–2½ lines long. Florets few, produced beyond pappus, black when dry, very slender, weak, subreflexed. Pappus scanty, straight, glossy, nearly equal, scabrid, white, tips acute. Achene semi-terete, linear, 1 line long, grooved, thickest at top, pale, glabrous, shining. Disc smoothish, shining, pitted. Hab. Open lands between Dannevirke and Weber, County of Waipawa; 1892: Mr. H. Hill. Flowering late in May. Genus 17. Senecio, Linn. 1. S. multinerve, sp. nov. “A low spreading shrub, about 4ft. high.” My specimen, a branch 9in. long (torn off from a larger one), shortly spreading into 3 slender erect branches, glabrous (and slightly-scattered puberulent whitish hairs), bark furrowed reddish-brown. Leaves few, distant, scattered, thin, spreading, oblong-lanceolate and linear-elliptic, 1in.–1¾in. long, 4–6 lines broad, tips very obtuse subtruncate, base tapering, glabrous above,

slightly scabrid-puberulous below; margins thickened, coarsely and closely toothed, teeth knobbed; veins below very reticulate and dark; petioles slender, 4–8 lines long, grooved above, puberulent. Flowers bright-yellow, close, showy, in terminal corymbs beyond leaves; peduncles 1in.–1¼in. long, filiform 3-flowered, with a long narrow leafy bract at base; pedicels spreading, slender, 4–5 lines long, a long bract at the base and 2 linear bracteoles above the middle. Heads rather small, campanulate, 4 lines long. Involucral scales 5, oblong, slightly puberulent above, the 2 inner very broad 4-nerved, with, large membranous margins, their tips rounded and ciliolate, the 3 outer narrower. Florets few 7–8, 2–3 ray, 5 disc; lamina of ray broad for size of flower, 7-nerved, tips revolute. Pappus numerous, a little shorter than florets, rather harsh, glossy, white, scabrid, unequal. Achene linear, glabrous, obsoletely ribbed dark-brown. Disc alveolate, edges raised rough. Hab. In a valley near Tolaga Bay, East Coast; rare; 1892: Mr. H. Hill. Obs. This plant is certainly closely allied to S. perdicioides, Hook. f., also a very rare plant from that same locality, discovered by Banks and Solander on Cook's first visit to New Zealand. I have been in doubt about describing it as being distinct; but there seem to me to be certain grave characters pertaining to it, which, if in S. perdicioides, could not have been unnoticed by Hooker, as—its margined and knobbed leaves (which are also of a different form), its peculiar and handsome inner scales of the involucre, and its long bracts and bracteoles. Order XLII. Ericeæ. Genus 8. Dracophyllum, Labill. 1. D. imbricatum, sp. nov. (My single specimen) a branch 17in. long, simple, straight, stout, as thick as a goosequill at base, base there for 3in.–4in. with dark-brown bark, light-reddish and ringed above where denuded under leaves—apparently a strong, healthy, vigorous young branch. Leaves numerous, close, erect and squarrosely spreading, linear, 4in.–5in. long, 4 lines wide, rather thin yet opaque, smooth, dry, concave, pale-green, glabrous, margins slightly and closely serrulate, tapering to apex, tip long, very narrow and acute, bases dilated ½in. wide, reddish, imbricate and largely amplexicaul; the upper leaves erect extending as high as panicle. Flowers terminal in a narrow contracted erect raceme-like panicle, 2in.–2½in. long, sub ½in. wide; bark glabrous, dark-brown, much grooved; few flowers, 3–4 on short branchlets, each branchlet with a long linear bract at

base, keeled and submucronate; pedicels about 1 line long; calycine bracts half as long as corolla, ovate, concave, finely serrulate, tips produced, acute. Corolla 4 lines long, narrow campanulate, reddish-orange, lobes shorter than tube, subdeltoid-ovate, lateral margins much incurved, whitish, tips narrow revolute. Anthers linear-elliptic, 2-lobed, included; filaments free twice as long as style; style 1 line long, slightly puberulent, stoutish, cylindrical, simple; hypogenous scales sub-linear-ovate (or lingulate), broadest at base, truncate and notched at tip. Ovary very small, scarcely 1 line diameter, with 5 minute rounded protuberances at top. Hab. Open lands near Cape Runaway, east coast, North Island; 1892: Mr. H. Hill. Obs. Apparently this striking species is allied to D. strictum, Hook. My specimen is a large one, though sadly crushed in long carriage in a saddle-bag, especially its more tender flowering part; sufficient, however, remained to enable me to describe it. Better flowering and fruiting specimens are wanted; also to know more about the size and shape of the shrub. Order LIII. Scrophularineæ. Genus 7. Veronica, Linn. 1. V. darwiniana, sp. nov. A small neat glabrous shrub, with short spreading opposite simple branchlets, their bark light-brownish-green, with a narrow longitudinal pubescent line decurrent from bases of each pair of leaves to the next pair. Leaves subdecussate, distant, regular, subconcave, thickish, glaucous-green, minutely and thickly dotted with whitish specks on both surfaces, broadly-lanceolate, 8–9 lines long, 2.½–3 lines broad, not keeled, sessile, tips acute, blunt, margins entire lighter green (or yellowish-green). Flowers subterminal in 2–4 opposite axillary racemes, having a subcorymbose appearance; racemes short sub 1 in. long, the flowers very thickly set; peduncle 6–7 lines long, pubescent, as also are pedicels and bracts; pedicels sub 1 line long; bracts ovate acute submembranous, adpressed, longer than pedicel. Calyx glabrous, lobes broadlyovate, green with white membranaceous margins, tips ciliolate. Corolla white, 3 lines diameter, lobes incurved obtuse, the 3 larger oblong, the upper solitary, the lower lobe very small; tube 1 line long, throat puberulous; anthers largely exserted; purple; style slender, patent, 4 lines long; stigma small, penicillate. Capsule dorsally compressed, 3 times as long as calyx, broadly-ovoid turgid, red-brown, veined; valves 2-fid, gaping; seeds numerous, orbicular and broadly-elliptic, disc form thickest in the middle, light-brown, glabrous, shining.

Hab. On hills in the interior, Hawke's Bay; 1890–92: W. C. Obs. I. A species primâ facie near to V. colensoi, Hook., but differing in several particulars—as, leaves smaller, subconcave and of another form; flowers pedicelled, bracts thin and longer than pedicels; lobes of calyx thin and ciliolate; corolla lobes very different, with puberulous throat; capsule larger, &c. II. Named in honour of the illustrious Darwin who visited New Zealand, with Captain Fitzroy, in H.M.S. “Beagle,” in 1835, and with whom I had the honour and pleasure of spending Christmas Day in that year. 2. V. oligantha, sp. nov. Plant small herbaceous slender simple glabrous, suberect and decumbent, 3in.–6in. high, sometimes with a very few small branches, main stems and pedicels closely and finely puberulent. Leaves few rather distant, pale-green, broadlyovate and broadly-elliptic almost suborbicular, 2.½–3.½ lines long, 2–2.½ lines broad, margins cut-crenate, and those of the upper and calycine leaves finely ciliolate, tips obtuse rounded; midrib below keeled prominent; 3-nerved, largely veined, veins compoundly-anastomosing; petiolate, petioles sub 1 line long. Flowers very few, distant, small, single, axillary in cauline leaves in the upper part of the stem and terminal, usually 3–4 pairs, the lowest pair opposite, the upper ones alternate, pedicelled, pedicels erect stout nearly 2 lines long. Calyx 4-cleft to base, segments oblong, obtuse, 1-nerved, shorter than corolla. Corolla pale, small, 1.½ lines long, tube very short scarcely any, segments all rounded the upper one the largest; much veined, veins forked. Stamens long curved; anthers large exserted, orbicular, claret-coloured; style very long, longer than capsule, filiform, persistent; stigma large capitate. Capsule fawn-coloured, sub-reniform-orbicular 1/10in. broad, compressed, notch shallow with a few erect glandular hairs on upper margin. Seeds very minute, 50 and upwards in each capsule, oblong, thickish, centrally attached, palefawn colour. Hab. Among grasses and other low herbage, banks of streams, edges of woods, south of Dannevirke, County of Waipawa; 1892: W. C. Obs. Another small herbaceous species of this genus to be added to those already lately described by me (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xxiv., pp. 391–393), and, though pretty closely related to them, distinct from all; perhaps V. macrocalyx is its nearest ally. This little plant is somewhat striking at first sight ffom its very pale-green leaves, and also, on examination, from the great regularity of its few flowers 3–4 pairs, of which, how-

ever, only a single corolla may be found on each stem at one time; no doubt owing to the extreme shortness of its tube, which causes it to fall quickly off on the enlargement of its ovary. Class II. Monocotyledons. Order VII. Liliaceæ. Genus 3. Cordyline, Commerson. 1. C. hectori, sp. nov. Trunk arboreous, simple, erect, from 6ft. to 30ft. high. Leaves numerous erect and spreading all round, linear- lanceolate, 4ft. 10in. long, 6.½in. wide at middle, gradually contracted to 4in. wide at 7in. above base, and again expanding to 5.½in. at base, acute not acuminate, rather thin for size (chartaceous), somewhat softish (not harsh, as in Phormium and in C. australis), but very thick at base, closely striated, margins entire, red thin and slightly recurved, glabrous, greenish-purple above with a reddish hue, and glaucous below with red veins; veins very numerous, above 100 on either side of midrib, parallel, slightly and regularly diagonal, extending nearly the whole length of lamina, and of three kinds—viz., (1) stout red prominent shining, distant about ¼in. from each other; (2) smaller and finer, intermediate and reddish; (3) obsolete again intermediate and glaucous; the midrib red glabrous and glossy, very stout and large at base and for some distance above, but decreasing regularly towards apex and there vanishing, striate-veined on the under-surface for two-thirds length from base. Panicle pendulous, obovate, thick compressed, 16in. long and 17in. girth over all; peduncle (or main stem) 4in. long,* But I have not got the whole of it, only that portion which forms part of the panicle, and where the pedicels with flowers begin. thick 3.½in. girth; subpanicles (simple racemes) numerous, straight, obfastigiate, imbricate, each 7in. long, linear-acuminate, 2.¾in. girth, a single bract at base 1.¾in. long, 4 lines wide at base, many-nerved, subulate, acuminate, acute. Flowers very numerous and close together; pedicels stoutish, thickened at top, 2 lines long, with 2 bracteoles on each, the outer one the longer, 3 lines long, sub-linear-ovate, 1-nerved, tip subacute, the inner one broader, irregularly shaped, semi-amplexicaul, apex sometimes retuse, and 2–3-fid, acute, acuminate, very membranous. Perianth small, sub ½in. diameter; segments narrow-oblong, split to base, subequal, much recurved, 3-nerved, nerves prominent. Stamens broad and flat at bases, adhering to lobes one-third of length from base, shorter than style, slightly incurved over ovary; anthers linear-elliptic. Style sub 2 lines long, stout, grooved. Berry globose nearly 2 lines diameter, glabrous,

blue; about 16 seeds in each; seeds black, shining, usually 3-sided, flat on two sides and rounded on the third, but when fewer in number gibbous. Hob. “On the spurs and in the gullies of the Ruahine, Kaweka, and Kaimanawa Mountain-ranges, County of Hawke's Bay; alt. 2,000ft.–4,000ft. Sometimes growing in the woods, and sometimes in the open lands, but more generally along the edges of woods, and among scattered shrubs.”—Mr. Thomas Hallett, in lit., August, 1892. Obs. I. Mr. Hallett also says in his interesting letter, “These trees vary in height from 6ft. to 30ft. but are generally about 12ft. high in open lands, and 20ft. in woods. The flowering - stem hangs down beside the trunk of the tree. The leaves sent were cut from a tree growing at 2,100ft. alt. above sea-level, and at about 7ft. above ground; there were 60 of them besides the small unfolded central ones; the diameter of the trunk was 6in. Each leaf in falling off leaves a ring on the stem, which becomes very indistinct after a few years; and, as several leaves grow every year, there are many rings formed, so that the age of the plant cannot be determined by them.” II. I have long known this plant–from my first seeing it in its native habitat in the 30s, and often afterwards in the 40s, when travelling in the mountainous interior of this North Island, and also in following years occasionally cultivated in gardens* I had for several years fine plants of it growing well in my garden at Waitangi (Hawke's Bay), with other mountain plants, as Ranunculus insignis, Aciphylla colensoi, Calceolaria repens, Cordyline banksii, Anthericum hookeri, &c. All these flourished and flowered there until a very severe and long continued flood, which overflowed my garden and deposited a large amount of silt, which destroyed them all. —but had never seen its flowers; and from the description of Forster's plant, C. indivisa, obtained by him in the South Island (as given by Hooker), I always had a doubt of it being the same species as this one, which doubt was also further increased through my certain knowledge that Forster had never been in this North Island. And when I read “the valuable communication regarding the Cordylines” made by Sir James Hector to Sir Joseph Hooker, † † “Handbook of the New Zealand Flora,” p. 743. I felt pretty well confirmed in my opinion. Sir James Hector wrote,— “5. C. indivisa. This is the broad-leaved deep-green ti, ‡ Ti is the Maori name for the Cordylines; it may be called their generic one. with red veins, a single head, and long elegant flowers, that Forster found in Dusky Bay. The leaf has a slight resemblace to the true toii of Colenso, which has led to the confusion, no doubt.

“6. C. sp.? Toii. A large tree, with many heads, and huge broad massive leaves, yellowish, with yellow and red veins, and ponderous inflorescence with long bracts and black shiny seeds. This is the ti that the Natives use for mats, &c. The portion of the description of the Handbook which refers to C. indivisa, and which you got from Colenso, applies to this plant.” To this Sir J. Hooker adds, “I have no Dusky Bay specimens of Forster's plant, but Colenso's agrees well with Forster's figure in the British Museum” (loc. cit.). And in my fully describing this northern species of Cordyline I have also, with very great pleasure, named it in honour of our wellknown scientific naturalist, Sir James Hector, K.C.M.G., M.D., F.R.S., &c., who had not only seen both species growing in their native habitats in his travels in the North and South Islands of New Zealand, but had at an early date (prior to 1864) called Sir Joseph Hooker's particular attention to their specific differences. III. From time to time of late years I have made several endeavours to obtain both flowering and fruiting specimens of our northern subalpine Cordyline, but have always failed until this present year (1892), when, through Mr. Hallett's kindness and care, I obtained what I had so long sought; I having long known him, and he being a resident settler far away in the hilly interior, and pretty near the home of these plants, and well acquainted with them. To him I feel much indebted for the several packages of specimens in various states he so readily obtained and sent me, though at no small trouble and labour to himself, as well as for his interesting notes and letters concerning the plant. And, not being satisfied with the specific description of C. indivisa as given by Hooker, both in his “Flora Novæ-Zelandiæ” and in the Handbook, and not possessing the fifth volume of Kunth's “Enumeration” (though I have vols. 1–4), and finding, on inquiry, the said fifth volume was not here in the colony, I got a kind naturalist friend to write to Berlin to get a verbatim copy made from Kunth's work, and this I received a few months back, which with me settled the question concerning the specific differences of the two plants. IV. In conclusion, I may observe that several striking primâ facie characters in this species here described do not accord with those of C. indivisa (vera), Kunth: e.g., Sir James Hector mentions its “long elegant flowers” (loc. cit.), and Sir Joseph Hooker also calls them “the large flowers,” with “its excessively thick and coriaceous leaves” (Handbook, p. 282), which leaves, however, are really smaller, as described by Kunth, who says of them, “2–4 pedes longa, medio 4–5 polli-caris, supra basin 1.½–2 poll. lata, rigide, coriacea”; and, further,

the panicle as being much larger—“3–4 pedalis”—with other differences, as “ovula in loculo 5–6,” and the plant to be “10–20 pedalis.” (“Enum.,” v., 30.) Genus 6. Arthropodium, Brown. 1. A. ramulosum, sp. nov. Plant small, slender, glabrous. Leaves 10, prostrate, spreading around stem subrosulate, linear-lanceolate, 9in.–10in. long, 3 lines wide, 3 innermost widest, concave, very acuminate tip acute, base half-clasping, membranaceous, flaccid, somewhat curved or subfalcate, dark-green, much parallel-nerved and striate on under-surface and so the cauline leaves. Stem single, erect, 18in. high, purple, slightly geniclate at nodes, 12-branched, base 1.½ lines diameter, apex flowering; branches green, striate, alternate, distant, the lower ones 7in. long, decreasing gradually in size upwards, the uppermost 3.½in. long at 4in. from tip of stem, spreading horizontally; the lower branches. 2in. apart on stem, the upper ones sub 1in.; no branch at lowest node 1.½in. from base, but a simple very long cauline leaf or bract 7in. long; at the lowest node of the basal branch a branchlet 1.½in. long 2–3-flowered, and at 2 nodes next above on same branch 2 flowers from each (this peculiarity also occurs at the lowest node of the apical portion); at the base of each branch are 2 leaf-like cauline sessile linear-acuminate bracts, the longer one 5in. long 3 lines wide, with a minute lilac-coloured membranaceous bracteole in the axil between branch and stem (also in the axils of all the branches), 2-nerved, tip acute and bifid. Flowers scattered, generally 12 on the longer branches each ¾in.—½in. apart; pedicels ½in. long, slender, jointed above middle, all bracteolate with long green bracteoles. Perianth small white, segments 2 lines long, narrow-oblong nearly alike, reflexed, each having 3 faint longitudinal medial lines (or nerves) parallel and close, the 3 outer segments stouter margins entire, tips subacute and thickened, the 3 inner very membranous margins slightly denticulate-erose, tips truncate; filaments white shorter than perianth 1.½lines long erect spreading, their upper two-thirds densely hairy bushy throughout, extending close up to anther; hairs white stout, glistening, tips obtuse; anthers small ½4in. long, pale, linear; style erect a little longer than anthers; stigma simple, capitate, flat, spreading; ovarium green glabrous scarcely 1 line long rounded-oblong. Hab. In a rocky spot near Mangatoro, south of Dannevirke, County of Waipawa; 1892: W. C. Obs. I. This is a striking and graceful species, having

affinity with A. candidum, Raoul, and A. reflexum, Col.,* Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xviii., p. 275. but widely different from both in habit and in general appearance and in several important characters. Its leaves (both radical and cauline) are larger and differently shaped and coloured (not like common grass leaves); stem much taller and 12-branched; branches very long and patent (and sometimes again branched); flowers smaller with different perianth-segments and anthers. But while the differences are many and great they are difficult to accurately describe in words, though soon apparent on examination and comparison with the above-named two species. This plant is also allied to a New Caledonian one—A. neocaledonicum, Baker. It also possesses in a a striking degree that peculiar quality I had noticed in A. reflexum (l.c.), of only one flower (on a branch) opening at one time, and this in early morning, and so remaining until evening, when the perianth falls down, resuming its former position, and closely enwraps the ovarium, as in the other plant. II. I have only seen this one specimen here described, and the peculiar (almost unique) manner of my getting it deserves a brief notice. In June, 1892 (during a long wet winter season), I received a dripping muddy parcel of small ferns and other low herbaceous plants, roots and all, in tufts, as torn up from their low and wet habitat (the friend who sent them was there on a geological visit). It took me some considerable time to wash and clean them, and while so engaged I found a very small unequally semi-fascicled or trilobed root (less than a shilling in circumference), without any traces of leaves, stem, &c., and apparently half-dead: this, however, I kept and planted, and this neat plant has been evolved from it. So I am rewarded.